Burnout and balance

Every week, I'll write you a letter. A letter about anything, really. My goal is just to make you think.
Then, I handpick 3 ideas and posts you'll love (and learn from).

For years, we glorified the hustle as if there were no other way to thrive. People touted their lack of sleep like it was a trophy or some Best Place To Work award. The pressure to do more just kept mounting. There were articles and inspirational posters. Preaching the hustle was the mark of every startup.

No one pointed out that the hustle was a lie. That humans can’t maintain that kind of momentum over time. No one can work that hard without breaks. I’m not talking about the type of vacation that comes after months of planning, but the quiet moments every day that help our minds recover from the pressure of life.

Look around any airport, and you’ll see how a lack of rest is playing out in our society. In the corners, people are falling asleep standing up. Across the hall, another person takes a panicked call you know isn’t that important. Afterward, all of them are drinking to drown this feeling that none of it is good enough.

Looking to the trends and headlines, it seems we’re finally reaching a turning point on the hustle. Finally, medical professionals and writers are addressing the fact that in addition to equal pay, we need to demand rest from the companies who require so much of us. People are finally starting to realize that burnout was a liability for success, and the hustle was never required to get it in the first place.

So, remember to rest this week. Slow down in the face of constant pressure to keep running. Our empathy for others in recruiting is only possible if we take care of ourselves first.

Despite earlier reports to the contrary, WHO does not classify the problem as a medical condition. It calls burnout an “occupational phenomenon” and includes it in a chapter on “factors influencing health status or contact with health services.”

We can stop guessing when it comes to job titles now. Job titles are one of the single greatest judgment factors for a candidate clicking on your ad, yet so many people are still posting “Manager 4.” Why? In some cases, laziness. In most cases, we just don’t know any better and we are tasked […]